Ladder.



PATENTED JULY 18, 1905.

J. MQDONNALL.

LADDER.

' APPLICATION FILED MAY 10.1905.

(mal mall, Inventor Witness Attorneys Annniw a. mum" ca. umocnnmnins, WASHINUTDII, n. c.

UNITED STATES Patented July 18, 1905.

PATENT OFFICE.

LADDER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 794,729, dated July 18, 1905.

Application filed May 10, 1905. Serial No. 259,706.

To all whom, it may concern.-

Be it known that I, JAMEs McDoNNALL, a citizen of the United States, residing at Ohicago, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, have invented a new and useful Ladder, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to ladders; and it has for its object to present a device capable of being applied in the nature of an attachment to ladders of ordinary construction and of varying dimensions for the purpose of providing steps or rests upon which material may be supported.

Other objects of the invention are to simplify and improve the construction and operation of this class of devices.

With these and other ends in view, which will readily appear as the nature of the invention is better understood, the same consists in the improved construction and novel arrangement and combination of parts, which will be hereinafter fully described, and particularly pointed out in the claims.

In the accompanying drawings has been illustrated a simple and preferred form of the invention, it being, however, understood that no limitation is necessarily made to the precise structural details therein exhibited, but that the right is reserved to any changes, alterations, and modifications to which recourse may be had within the scope of the invention and without departing from the spirit or sacrificing the efi iciency of the same.

In said drawings, Figure 1 is a perspective view of the device constituting the invention. Fig. 2 is a vertical sectional view showing a portion of the device as applied in operative position to an ordinary ladder. Fig. 3 is a transverse sectional detail View taken on the plane indicated by the line 3 3 in Fig. 2.

Corresponding parts in the several figures are indicated throughout by similar characters of reference.

The improved device includes rails or side members 1 l of suitable dimensions, each of said rails being provided near its upper and lower ends with pairs of clamping members 2 2, adapted to engage the side rails 3 of an ordinary ladder, as will be best seen in Figs. 2 and 3 of the drawings. Pivotally supported upon the inner sides of the rails 1 1 are bracket members 4 4:, which are disposed in registry with each other, and upon the upper sides of said bracket members are secured spaced strips 5 5, said strips upon opposite bracket members beingdisposed intercurrently,so that the strips of one bracket will slide between and adjacent to those of the opposite bracket. The strips 5 of the bracket member L are connected near their free ends by means of bands or straps 6, and the strips 5 of the brackets 4 are likewise connected near their free ends by means of bands orstraps 6. Extensible and collapsible supporting devices are thus formed, which will permit the side rails to be moved apart or in the direction of each other, as may be desired, the bracket members being also foldable between the side rails, as indicated in dotted lines in Fig. 1 of the drawings.

Upon the inner sides of the side rails 1 1 are secured guides or keepers 7, in which are fitted slid es 8,provided at their inner ends with hook-shaped clamping members 9, hingedly connected therewith, and at their outer ends with laterally-extending lugs 10. The side rails 1 are provided adjacent to the keepers 7 with studs 11, upon which are fitted coiled springs 12, having short arms 13 connected by links 1& with the lugs 10 on-the slides 8. The long arms 15 at the opposite ends of the coiled springs constitute handles which may be secured under hooks or keepers 16 upon the side rails.

To apply this improved device in operative position to a ladder of ordinary construction, the side rails 1 1 are first drawn apart until they may be supported upon the side rails 3 of the ladder, which are engaged by the clamping members 2 2. The handle members 15 of the springs being released from the retaining members 16, the hinged books 9 may be placed in engagement with the under sides of the ladder-rails 3, after which by pressure upon the spring-arms 15 the slides 8 are moved in an outward direction until said spring-arms may be placed in engagement with the keepers 16, thus locking the device securely upon the ladder. The hook members 9 may be provided with sharp engaging points or prongs in order to prevent slipping. The bracket members 44:, with related parts,

are swung inward, so as to rest and be supported upon the rounds 20 of the ladder, as clearly seen in Fig. 2, it being obvious that the steps or supports formed by said brackets and related parts may be readily adjusted to approximately horizontal positions, regardless of the inclination of the ladder to which the device is applied, by simply moving the device up or down upon the ladder-rails, as may be required.

This improved device may be readily applied to ladders of diflierent widths. It is simple, easily applied or detached, and effective in operation. It is obvious that in the practical manufacture of the device it is not restricted to any definite number of steps, but that it may be provided with a single or with any desired plurality of steps. It will also be understood that more than one of the improved devices may be used in-connection with a single ladder.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed is 1. A ladder attachment including side rails, and extensible and collapsible steps pivotally connected with said side rails.

2. A ladder attachment including side rails,

an extensible and collapsible step pivotally connected with said side rails, and spring-actuated clamping devices connected with the latter. 3. A ladder attachment including side members, extensible and collapsible steps pivotally connected with said side members, rail-engaging clamps near the upper and lower ends of said side members, and spring-actuated clamping devices connected with the latter.

4. A ladder attachment-including side members, brackets pivoted upon the inner sides of said side members and having intercurrentlydisposed interengaging strips, and connecting means for the free ends of said strips.

5. A ladder attachment including side members, extensible and collapsible steps pivotally connected therewith, slides connected with said side members, rail-engaging clamps hingedly connected with said slides, spring.- arms connected with said slides and adapted to move the latter into clamping position, and retaining means for the free ends of said spring-arms.

6. A ladder attachment including side members, extensible and collapsible steps pivotally connected therewith, slides connected with said side members and having rail-engaging clamps, coiled springs supported adjacent to the slides and having short arms connected with the latter, arms extending from said springs and constituting handles, and retaining means for the latter.

7. A device of the class described including side members, extensible and collapsible strips supported pivotally between said side members, rail-engaging clamps connected permanently with the side members, rail-engaging clamps connected movably with said side members, and means including tension-springs for drawing the said movable clamping means into forcible engagement with the side rails of an ordinary ladder.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own I have hereto aflixed my signature in the presence of two witnesses.

JAMES MoDONN ALL. 

